Kyotoki Juneyoshi
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Occupation: Student
Appearance: A person of short stature with a small rounded face. Tanned skin and usually a frown between his eyes. A small nose and a protruding mouth.
Location: a village near Seoul
Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: He is a very hardworking person who would not stop at anything to reach his goals. He typically keeps his cool but may get carried away with compulsive situations. He cares greatly about his family and friends. He has a bad tendency to have cold staring eyes that unnerve many people.
Family: Father: Young Chul Lee a printer.
Mother: Bouck Sun Choi a caring mother.
Brother: Tae June Lee a seven year old brother who is constantly sick.
Education: Studied up to middle school.
Languages you speak: Korean and a little Japanese
Your main concerns at this time and in life: meeting father's expectations, concern over family specially his sick brother.
Diary Entry #1
July 28, 1937
It has already been eight months since everything has been taken away from me. My home, my family, and my life. I still remember that day when those Japanese troops came into to our village and rounded up all of us. After Japanese annexation of Korea, this has occurred in many different villages. My mother tried to stop them from taking me but was unsuccessful. I distinctly remember my father being taken away as well. His last words were “We’ll meet again. Make me proud.” After that, I have been taken into training by the Japanese and made into a sniper because of the unusual calmness and the small stature. I still remember the day that I had my very first kill. I was supposed to kill some prisoners that escaped that were supposed to be executed the next day. I cannot describe the feeling that you get. The emptiness and the hollowness inside you is overwhelming. After that, I have never felt any warmth in my heart and have become ever more colder. The training and killing have turned me into a ruthless killing machine that wouldn’t distinguish from one kill or the next and would kill with no hesitation. And today I have killed again. Today it was the Chinese I killed. The building tensions have erupted once more as the Japanese finally launched another war on China to extend its borders and gain the resources they so wanted. I was situated in a tree, camouflaged by leaves, picking soldiers off in the confusion. There were some Korean soldiers who deserted the Japanese army criticizing whoever stayed by naming us traitors who are helping the country who is destroying ours but I disagree. I think that by helping Japanese now we will have a better chance of learning and modernizing our country while understanding the enemy which will give us a better chance of surviving when we get our independence. I will continue to fight for our country instead of the country of Japan and will try to make my father and country proud. I will train harder and harder so in the future I can help my country against the very people who trained me. It is sad that today is my birthday but I feel like I have been born again into a new self. I miss my family and my brother. It is many days that I can’t sleep wondering if my brother is still ill and if my father is alive. I wish I can go back.
Diary Entry #2
December 8, 1941
It has been many months since I have been able to fully rest. The Japanese have been sending us all over East Asia trying to assert control and prepare for an attack. We didn’t have direct orders about what or how we would attack because we were too low in the hierarchy to know that but everyone could feel the tension rising and something big about to happen. And it finally occurred. Yesterday the Japanese attacked America at somewhere called Pearl Harbor, which is supposed to be somewhere in the Pacific. I do not know any details as they did not send any of the snipers there and I stayed back in Indochina. Today, there has been news that America has declared war on Japan and thus Korea as well. I do not understand the Japanese who launched this war that will obviously end with American victory even with the surprise attack. It seems that Korea will be able to get independence faster than I thought as America will crush Japan and thus be able to liberate Korea. As it was seen before, the compromises between America and Japan have been unable to find common ground that increased tensions. I have a bad feeling about this war and finally feel fear in my heart. Here in Indochina, it is harder to snipe and I have many times been in combat with a handgun as the enemy surprised us from behind and I could not get a clear shot with my sniper. I fear that in one of these battles we will not know of the enemy from behind and, this time, they will pick us off one by one. Sniping has become harder and harder as there is more foliage that we as well as they can hide in but greatest of all, I am losing my nerve. Killing was ok when I was far away and it was only a few red blotches on people but in close combat seeing the people with limbs sticking out of places or the look of fear before one dies is unnerving. The cries of anguish keep ringing in my ear while the face of fear lingers in my eye as I’m shooting with my sniper and that little difference is making me miss my target. I remember the conversation I had with Kano Sasada, a Japanese soldier I met in Manchuria during the Sino-Chinese War. At that time, we had just attacked China and pulled back to regroup. I remember that he was one of the calm ones who could kill without any nightmares. He also seemed to have the cold passion for his country that was similar with me at that time. But now, it seems that I was not built of the same material as him. I remember something he told me, "They [the dead soldiers] are just bumps in the road and my job is just to reach my goal."I wish I can believe this too.
Diary Entry #3
Decembet 25, 1941
Contrary to the wins that we have been experiencing, I feel sadness instead in my heart. It is impossible to describe the horrendous crimes we have done to win this war. We have been able to win the war here in Indochina but my skills have been slowly deteriorating and with it the treatment in the army. The generals have been slowly been treating me like they would have treated an animal. I am barely getting my rations and having no rest. The piles of corpses are unnerving and been giving me nightmares. I think my identity has been lost and am not sure anymore if I am Japanese or Korean. I remember another Korean soldier I met in China before. His name was…. Kim duyong I think. He seemed to be very different from me at that time but I don’t know about now. I seem to agree more and more with him as I detest more and more the Japanese but specially the world and my state. Why did I have to be born at this time? Why couldn’t I have born somewhere remote where there was no war? I remember what Duyong told me “I preferred taking exams and boring classes than this.” I wish I can talk to him now and seek his advice. I am confused to my identity. The rejoicing after the battles makes me feel as united and together but the way I am treated and thoughts of my homeland makes me detest the Japanese who has made these things happen to us. I have been demoted from a sniper to a normal infantry and have felt death closer than ever. The prisoners of war are being abused but specially the women have been molested and heavily used. I have seen some Korean women brought from Korea for pleasure which disgusted me greatly. This would not have grossed me greatly but to think that my childhood friends and neighbors are being dragged around the world for pleasure is just unthinkable. I wish that Japan had not waged war. I wish that Korea had not been taken over by Japan. I wish…I wish I was just back home.
Diary Entry #4
August 11, 1945
I am in a plane going back to Manchuria. We have heard that the Soviets have waged war against Japan and have invaded Manchuria. Our division is being sent there to reinforce the Japanese army but honestly it seems that all hope is lost. Many of the soldiers are also beginning to despair and pray for survival. Worsening the situation, we have also heard that Hiroshima was destroyed in the end after endless bombing but I am curious how it destroyed the whole city. I am scared that this will be the same in Korea and destroy much of my beloved country. I know that this will be the end of the war as the Japanese won’t be able to fight a two front war with the Soviets on one side and the United States on another. The Nazis have lost and Hitler has committed suicide and it seems that Japan is the only one left in this left. I know that we will lose and my only hope is for this to mean the liberation of Japan which is very possible. Since the Allies have been liberating and rebuilding in Europe, it is very possible that Korea will be liberated and even industrialized by the Americans. I have heard a rumor that we have totally lost the Pacific War and are returning but am not sure if this is reliable. It seems that Japan overshot it with waging a war against the Americans as they have not gained anything in the end and have lost so many people that I don’t want to even hear the numbers. I am ashamed that I have fought for the wrong side of the war and feel that I have disappointed my father but I have at least gained something in this war. My identity. I think I have decided that my identity is Korean and I am proud of this. Even though, right now I am fighting for the Japanese but that doesn’t mean I am one of them. I am a slave right now but soon I will be freed and be able to fight for my own country and my own people. I am Korean and I’m proud of it.
Works Cited
"Naver." Naver Cafe. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2010. <cafe.naver.com/tobaabc.cafe?iframe_url=/ArticleRead.nhn%3Farticleid=1038632>.
Korean high school boy Grade 11
Description
Name: Du Jin LeeTable of Contents
Kyotoki Juneyoshi
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Occupation: Student
Appearance: A person of short stature with a small rounded face. Tanned skin and usually a frown between his eyes. A small nose and a protruding mouth.
Location: a village near Seoul
Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: He is a very hardworking person who would not stop at anything to reach his goals. He typically keeps his cool but may get carried away with compulsive situations. He cares greatly about his family and friends. He has a bad tendency to have cold staring eyes that unnerve many people.
Family: Father: Young Chul Lee a printer.
Mother: Bouck Sun Choi a caring mother.
Brother: Tae June Lee a seven year old brother who is constantly sick.
Education: Studied up to middle school.
Languages you speak: Korean and a little Japanese
Your main concerns at this time and in life: meeting father's expectations, concern over family specially his sick brother.
Diary Entry #1
July 28, 1937It has already been eight months since everything has been taken away from me. My home, my family, and my life. I still remember that day when those Japanese troops came into to our village and rounded up all of us. After Japanese annexation of Korea, this has occurred in many different villages. My mother tried to stop them from taking me but was unsuccessful. I distinctly remember my father being taken away as well. His last words were “We’ll meet again. Make me proud.” After that, I have been taken into training by the Japanese and made into a sniper because of the unusual calmness and the small stature. I still remember the day that I had my very first kill. I was supposed to kill some prisoners that escaped that were supposed to be executed the next day. I cannot describe the feeling that you get. The emptiness and the hollowness inside you is overwhelming. After that, I have never felt any warmth in my heart and have become ever more colder. The training and killing have turned me into a ruthless killing machine that wouldn’t distinguish from one kill or the next and would kill with no hesitation. And today I have killed again. Today it was the Chinese I killed. The building tensions have erupted once more as the Japanese finally launched another war on China to extend its borders and gain the resources they so wanted. I was situated in a tree, camouflaged by leaves, picking soldiers off in the confusion. There were some Korean soldiers who deserted the Japanese army criticizing whoever stayed by naming us traitors who are helping the country who is destroying ours but I disagree. I think that by helping Japanese now we will have a better chance of learning and modernizing our country while understanding the enemy which will give us a better chance of surviving when we get our independence. I will continue to fight for our country instead of the country of Japan and will try to make my father and country proud. I will train harder and harder so in the future I can help my country against the very people who trained me. It is sad that today is my birthday but I feel like I have been born again into a new self. I miss my family and my brother. It is many days that I can’t sleep wondering if my brother is still ill and if my father is alive. I wish I can go back.
Diary Entry #2
December 8, 1941It has been many months since I have been able to fully rest. The Japanese have been sending us all over East Asia trying to assert control and prepare for an attack. We didn’t have direct orders about what or how we would attack because we were too low in the hierarchy to know that but everyone could feel the tension rising and something big about to happen. And it finally occurred. Yesterday the Japanese attacked America at somewhere called Pearl Harbor, which is supposed to be somewhere in the Pacific. I do not know any details as they did not send any of the snipers there and I stayed back in Indochina. Today, there has been news that America has declared war on Japan and thus Korea as well. I do not understand the Japanese who launched this war that will obviously end with American victory even with
Diary Entry #3
Decembet 25, 1941Contrary to the wins that we have been experiencing, I feel sadness instead in my heart. It is impossible to describe the horrendous crimes we have done to win this war. We have been able to win the war here in Indochina but my skills have been slowly deteriorating and with it the treatment in the army. The generals have been slowly been treating me like they would have treated an animal. I am barely getting my rations and having no rest. The piles of corpses are unnerving and been giving me nightmares. I think my identity has been lost and am not sure anymore if I am Japanese or Korean. I remember another Korean soldier I met in China before. His name was…. Kim duyong I think. He seemed to be very different from me at that time but I don’t know about now. I seem to agree more and more with him as I detest more and more the Japanese but specially the world and my state. Why did I have to be born at this time? Why couldn’t I have born somewhere remote where there was no war? I remember what Duyong told me “I preferred taking exams and boring classes than this.” I wish I can talk to him now and seek his advice. I am confused to my identity. The rejoicing after the battles makes me feel as united and together but the way I am treated and thoughts of my homeland makes me detest the Japanese who has made these things happen to us. I have been demoted from a sniper to a normal infantry and have felt death closer than ever. The prisoners of war are being abused but specially the women have been molested and heavily used. I have seen some Korean women brought from Korea for pleasure which disgusted me greatly. This would not have grossed me greatly but to think that my childhood friends and neighbors are being dragged around the world for pleasure is just unthinkable. I wish that Japan had not waged war. I wish that Korea had not been taken over by Japan. I wish…I wish I was just back home.
Diary Entry #4
August 11, 1945I am in a plane going back to Manchuria. We have heard that the Soviets have waged war against Japan and have invaded Manchuria
Works Cited